Method op constructing iron railings



L. HOMES.

Iron Fence.

Patented July 6, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

L. HOMES, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING IRON RAILINGS.

Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 20,797, dated July 6, 1858.

T 0 all whomit may concern.'

Be it known that I, LUTHER HOMES, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Iron Railings or Balustrades; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l, is a side elevation of a section of iron railing constructed after the improved plan, showing a section through a portion of the same. Fig. 2, is a transverse section of ditto at the line l, l, of Fig. l. Fig. 3, is a transverse section of one of the segmental bars, which form the horizontal. rails in which the upright bars or newels are secured. Fig, 4L, represents one of the upright bars or newels detached. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section of a portion of the segmental bars forming the rail, and upright bar or newel secured in the same, at the line 2, 2, of Fig. 2.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

The nature of this invention and improvement consists, in forming the horizontal rails of iron railings hollow, of two semicircular bars, connected together and to the upper and lower parts of the upright bars or newels, in such a manner as to form a. strong and durable railing or balustrade, in sections capable of being readily secured together, or detached and conned in a small space for transportation.

'Io enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The upright bars A, may be made plain and straight between the horizontal rails, as represented in the drawings, or curved with scroll work or allegorical designs on their sides as may be desired, and are provided with circular projections B, B, at their lower ends and near their upper ends, and are made to terminate at their upper ends in the form of a spear or other ornamental design. These circular flat portions B, B, are provided with pins C, C', one on each side of their flat surfaces which are extended therefrom at right angles from the flat surfaces, near the sides of their peripheries as represented in Fig. 5.

The horizontal rails to which these upright bars are attached, consist of two semicircular straight bars D, D, forming when put together a tube, which bars have oblong notches or depressions E, formed in them next the edges where they come together, through which the upright bars A, pass, and are provided with pins or lugs F, F', eX- tending from edge to edge, after the manner of a chord of a circle to the arc of their curved sides, in such relation to the slots E, E, and the pins C, C, projecting from the circular surfaces of the upright bars A, as to enable the two to interlock and thus secure the two parts D, D', of the horizontal rails together, and to the upright bars, in the following manner The bars D, are laid flat upon a level surface with their edges upward, and the ends of the upright bars A, are laid in the right hand end of the notches or depressions E, in said edges, forming half of the slots, so as to bring one half of the circular Hat portions B, B, on the ends of these bars within the semi-circular bars D, and the pins C, in such relation to the pins or lugs F, projecting from the circular flat surface next the said pins or lugs F, as to enable them to pass between them and the semi-circular part of the bars D, when the upright bars A, are moved to the left hand ends of the notches or depressions E, in which they rest, and thus interlock with the same, the said upright bars A, being caused to move together by segmental bridge pieces I-I, inserted between the upright bars, (which are embraced in notches in their ends) and over the upper edges of the horizontal bars D, D, of the rails, so as to cover the cracks or joints formed by their upper edges coming together. The segmental and straight bars D', are then placed on top of the bars D, with their edges and notches or depressions E', in the same, neXt the corresponding parts of the said bars D, over which they are slid to the left, so as to cause their pins or lugs F to pass under and interlock with the pins or lugs C', and the circular projections B, B, of the upright bars to be inclosed between the semi-circular bars D, D', and the square portions, neXt the circular parts, to be embraced between the left hand end of the notches or indentations E, in the bars D, and the right hand ends of the corresponding notches or depressions E, of the bars D. After a series of upright bars A, are thus firmly secured at their upper and lower ends, in the horizontal tubular rails D, so as to form a section of railing or balustrade of the required length, with the segmental bridge plates H', at the left end, secured by screws to the bars D, and the corresponding segmental plates H2, at the right end secured in like manner to the bars D', the ends of the bars D, D', are secured together by a metallic hub or block I, inserted into the ends of the tubular rails D, and secured to both bars D, D', forming the same by screws passing through them. rlhese hubs or blocks I, have radial bars or arms K, extending from their outer ends, in Which are formed openings for the passage of screws for fastening the sections to gether, as represented in Fig. 1.

In this manner a strong and durable iron railing or balustrade is formed, Which is capable of being easily put and secured t0- gether, and taken apart and conined in a small space, When desired to be stored away or transported from place to place.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

Securing and embracing the circular projections B, B', at the upper and lower ends of the upright bars A, Within the horizont-al tubular rails D, formed by the semi-circular and straight bars D, D', and the portions of said bars neXt the fiat circular parts between the notches in the bridge plates H, and the left hand ends of the notches or depressions FJ, in the edges of the bars D, and the right hand ends of the corresponding notches or depressions E', in the edges of the bars D', by means of the interlocking pins C, C', and pins or lugs F, F', and hubs or blocks I, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

LUTHER HOMES.

' Witnesses:

GEO. F. JOURDAN, J. W. DEMAREST. 

